diff --git a/control-plane/src/modules/cluster-activity.ts b/control-plane/src/modules/cluster-activity.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6f8067e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/control-plane/src/modules/cluster-activity.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import Cache from "node-cache";
+
+const cache = new Cache({ stdTTL: 60, maxKeys: 1000 });
+
+export const setClusterActivityToHigh = (clusterId: string) => {
+  cache.set(clusterId, true);
+};
+
+export const isClusterActivityHigh = (clusterId: string) => {
+  return cache.get(clusterId) === true;
+};
diff --git a/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/create-job.ts b/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/create-job.ts
index 9fff283a..92d5b151 100644
--- a/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/create-job.ts
+++ b/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/create-job.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import * as clusters from "../cluster";
 import * as data from "../data";
 import * as events from "../observability/events";
 import { jobDurations } from "./job-metrics";
+import * as clusterActivity from "../cluster-activity";
 
 type CreateJobParams = {
   service: string;
@@ -40,6 +41,8 @@ export const createJob = async (params: {
 }) => {
   const end = jobDurations.startTimer({ operation: "createJob" });
 
+  clusterActivity.setClusterActivityToHigh(params.owner.clusterId);
+
   const cluster = await clusters.operationalCluster(params.owner.clusterId);
 
   const callConfigParams = {
diff --git a/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/jobs.ts b/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/jobs.ts
index c8a26b21..63f91624 100644
--- a/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/jobs.ts
+++ b/control-plane/src/modules/jobs/jobs.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
 } from "../service-definitions";
 import { jobDurations } from "./job-metrics";
 import { selfHealJobs } from "./persist-result";
+import * as clusterActivity from "../cluster-activity";
 
 export { createJob } from "./create-job";
 export { persistJobResult } from "./persist-result";
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ export const nextJobs = async ({
   deploymentId,
   ip,
   definition,
+  ttl = 1_000,
 }: {
   service: string;
   owner: { clusterId: string };
@@ -28,11 +30,30 @@ export const nextJobs = async ({
   deploymentId?: string;
   ip: string;
   definition?: ServiceDefinition;
+  ttl?: number;
 }) => {
+  const start = Date.now();
   const end = jobDurations.startTimer({ operation: "nextJobs" });
 
-  const results = await data.db.execute(
-    sql`UPDATE
+  type Result = {
+    id: string;
+    target_fn: string;
+    target_args: string;
+  };
+
+  let results: { rowCount: number | null; rows: Result[] } = {
+    rowCount: null,
+    rows: [],
+  };
+
+  await Promise.all([
+    storeMachineInfo(machineId, ip, owner, deploymentId),
+    definition ? storeServiceDefinition(service, definition, owner) : undefined,
+  ]);
+
+  do {
+    results = await data.db.execute<Result>(
+      sql`UPDATE
       jobs SET status = 'running',
       remaining_attempts = remaining_attempts - 1,
       last_retrieved_at=${new Date().toISOString()},
@@ -43,12 +64,14 @@ export const nextJobs = async ({
       AND service = ${service}
     LIMIT ${limit})
     RETURNING id, target_fn, target_args`,
-  );
+    );
 
-  await Promise.all([
-    storeMachineInfo(machineId, ip, owner, deploymentId),
-    definition ? storeServiceDefinition(service, definition, owner) : undefined,
-  ]);
+    const timeout = clusterActivity.isClusterActivityHigh(owner.clusterId)
+      ? 100
+      : 1000;
+
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, timeout));
+  } while (!results.rowCount && Date.now() - start < ttl);
 
   if (results.rowCount === 0) {
     end();
@@ -149,7 +172,12 @@ export const getJobStatuses = async ({
     resultType: InferModel<typeof data.jobs>["result_type"];
   }>;
 
+  let attempt = 0;
+
   do {
+    attempt++;
+    const backoff = Math.min(100 * attempt, 1000);
+
     jobs = await data.db
       .select({
         id: data.jobs.id,
@@ -171,7 +199,7 @@ export const getJobStatuses = async ({
     );
 
     if (!hasResolved) {
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
+      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, backoff));
     }
   } while (!hasResolved && Date.now() - start < longPollTimeout);
 
diff --git a/control-plane/src/modules/router.ts b/control-plane/src/modules/router.ts
index 9c93493b..823d3174 100644
--- a/control-plane/src/modules/router.ts
+++ b/control-plane/src/modules/router.ts
@@ -51,32 +51,19 @@ export const router = s.router(contract, {
 
     const limit = request.body.limit ?? 1;
 
-    let collection: {
-      id: string;
-      targetFn: string;
-      targetArgs: string;
-    }[];
-
-    const start = Date.now();
-
-    do {
-      collection = await jobs.nextJobs({
-        owner,
-        limit,
-        machineId: request.headers["x-machine-id"],
-        deploymentId: request.headers["x-deployment-id"],
-        ip: request.request.ip,
-        service: request.body.service,
-        definition: {
-          name: request.body.service,
-          functions: request.body.functions,
-        },
-      });
-
-      if (collection.length === 0) {
-        await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
-      }
-    } while (collection.length === 0 && Date.now() - start < request.body.ttl);
+    const collection = await jobs.nextJobs({
+      owner,
+      limit,
+      machineId: request.headers["x-machine-id"],
+      deploymentId: request.headers["x-deployment-id"],
+      ip: request.request.ip,
+      service: request.body.service,
+      definition: {
+        name: request.body.service,
+        functions: request.body.functions,
+      },
+      ttl: request.body.ttl,
+    });
 
     return {
       status: 200,